Meet CHIP!

It's back to work after a nice long Labor Day weekend. We were able to spend some good quality family time together, which was very much needed. Our day's weren't as relaxing as we maybe would have liked (potty training a new puppy, ya know), but overall it was nice to have a few extra days away from the 'busy-busy' of summer and work. The details won't be shared in this particular post, but I will revert back in later ones.

As I've mentioned...the new puppy!

Yes, Adam finally caved.

Alexa has been begging for a puppy ever since she could say the word 'puppy'. And to be honest with you, I've always thought of myself of more of a 'dog' person, even though I had cats growing up. My parents never wanted to have a dog in town because they didn't think it was fair to the dog not to be able to run around and be free. Dogs were for farms, we were told.

Well, now living on my own and having my own family and hearing my kids beg for a puppy - it seems that everyone and their brother have a dog. We can't step outside the house, go for a walk, park the car in a parking lot, go to the park or watch TV without seeing a dog. This only reminds them how much more they want a puppy of their own. Living in a town home for close to 3 years was always our excuse not to get one and promised once we got a house of our own with a yard, we could get a puppy.

Well, as you all know, we bought our house in June - with a huge yard, too.
We had discussions about it and family meetings and talked about it and hemmed and hawwwed...I would look online and send Adam pictures of puppies, hoping they were cute enough for him to fall in love with and finally agree to the huge responsibility.

"Let's just wait...", was always his response. "Can you just settle down about the puppy thing, just wait."

Ugh....

Until last week, he caved!

I found a Miniature Dachshund on Craig's List (for a reasonable price) and absolutley fell in love with his picture. I emailed the guy immediately and asked if he was still available. Sure enough, he was. YAY!

I emailed Adam right away - "Adam - Go on Craig's List, look in the pet section and scroll down to the 4th post of the Mini Doxie."

He humored me and tried to look for him, but the gentleman had already delegated his post from the site, so Adam never got to see his ad.

Bummed, I emailed the guy back asking a few questions, after all, he said he was still available. This continued for a couple days until finally I asked him to resend me the picture so I could 'convince my husband'.

To my surprise, I received a much different response from Adam than I had before. "Oh, he is really cute", he said.

Giddy inside, I couldn't just let it be, I had to ask, "How cute? Like cute enough to get him cute?"
Then came the response I was used to, "Just wait, ok! Can you just wait, please?"

Ugh, Fine! But, I couldn't just let it be. I emailed the guy back telling him I was making progress with my husband. But, he had some more questions before we made a decision. I numbered them in the email and sat waiting for his response.

I didn't have to wait long for him to reply back, saying it would be easier to call him rather than him type all the answers to our questions.

Soooooooooooo...

I emailed Adam. "Adam, the guy wants you to call and he'll answer any questions that you may have - here is his number XXX-XXX-XXXX, and his name is Robert.

Of course, Adam didn't get the email. So another day goes by. Then, to my surprise, last Tuesday I get a call from Adam around 11:30 saying he had talked to Bob. "Who's Bob?", I asked. "You know, the guy with the puppy", he said back.

"Oooooh, you called him huh? What did he say?"

"Well, I'm going to meet him at 1 o'clock today to see the puppy."

"REALLY? OH MY GOSH...So what are you thinkin?"

"Well, what are you thinking?"

"I donno, we did promise the girls when we got a house.."

"Well, if I end up liking him do you want me to get him?"

"TODAY?"

"UUhh, Yeah Dawn, I'm going to look at him today"

"Yes, I mean..yeah! Only if you really like it and you feel comfortable. It's your decision and I'll support whatever you decide - just call me when you get there and tell me what you think"

"Ok, bye"

"Bye"

Ahhhhhhhh, "TOM (my boss), WANNA SEE THE PUPPY WE'RE GOING TO GET?" (I just knew Adam wouldn't say 'no', he's come this far and I knew he would cave.) And I showed Tom the pictures.

Then, at 1:03pm, the phone rings. I can see on the caller ID that it's Adam. I didn't even allow myself to think if being he's calling 3 minutes after their scheduled meeting was good thing or a bad thing, I just answered right away.

"Teal Corporation", I answered..(even though I knew it was him...have to sound professional, ya know)

"Dawn, he is so damn cute. I'm on my way to the bank right now."

"OH MY GOSH, Seriously? Ahhh, I can't wait. Are they nice people? (ya never know on Craig's List)

"Yes, they are very nice. A nice family. I gotta go, though, I'm at the bank."

"Ok, call me when you get him"

"Ok, Bye"

"Bye"

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, TOM (my boss), ADAM LOVES HIM, HE IS AT THE BANK TO GET THE CASH! WE'RE GETTING A PUPPY!!

A few mins later Adam called back and said that the little guy was with him in the car and he wanted to name him "Chip". He sent me a picture from his Blackberry of him sitting in the front passenger seat.

I couldn't sit still, I was so excited. What were the girls going to think? How were we going to surprise them? They are going to freak out with excitement. Ahhhhh!!
I told Adam to bring him by the office so I could see him and so we could discuss how we'd surprise the girls.

He came and we all sat in the office admiring the little guy. He was so tiny..only 3-4 lbs. Awww, I just love him. He ran right up to me and gave me tons of kisses and love. We discussed the best way to surprise the girls and then Adam took him home for some 'male bonding time' with him.

The rest of the afternoon seemed to take forever. I just sat, thinking of how the girls would react to their new puppy. Would they like him? Would they like the name Daddy picked for him? Finally 5 o'clock came and I bolted out the door to pick them up from school. I had to act calm and normal, just so they wouldn't suspect anything. It was hard holding it in the whole 8 minutes home, but I did.

All the neighbor kids swarmed my car when I pulled up, as they always do, waiting for the girls to jump out and play. But, today I said, No, Daddy has a little surprise for you in the house. As Alexa walked and I carried Lillian up the stairs I told the girls that Mommy and Daddy had gotten them an early Birthday present. They'd been so good and we couldn't wait to give it to them. In the background I could hear Chip making noises in the box Adam wrapped him in, so Adam coughed a few times to distract the noise.

I closed their eyes and then opened them to see a brightly wrapped box sitting in the middle of the living room. Now, Chip is a puppy and of course couldn't sit still for a second, so the box was moving in circles. Alexa said in a smart alecky kind of voice, "Oh, that's a puppy". Even though I wanted to slap her for having that kind of attitude, I seriously think she thought it was some kind of a toy moving and making those sounds.

Adam was there with the video camera and said, go ahead girls, open it. Alexa pealed back a small corner and there little Chips nose poked out. She ripped some more paper and there he was ready to jump into her lap. A HUGE smile graced her face as she picked him out of the box and hugged him close. She turned around and her first words were, "Can we keep him?" She asked this several times actually, even though we kept responding with excited yeses. Lillian smiled and clapped her hands in excitement, but backed away from him at first. He seemed a little too hyper for her right away, but she has since warmed up to him and is his little mother hen. She bosses him around just like she would her little brother.

The looks on the girls' faces when they met their puppy were priceless and even though he has been a ton of work for us training him and giving him the attention that he needs, I just remember the love that he gives our kids and the love they have for him. He is such a good addition to our family and we've all welcomed him with open arms.


I have yet to get a good picture of him with the girls...just haven't taken the time..I know..sooo bad. But, I will post one as soon as I can.